GFF seeking to extend its tentacles to encompass street football

The Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) decision to suspend several players along with an official for their participation in the unsanctioned Magnum Tonic Wine ‘Unfinished Business’ Championship tournament on June 18 has ignited a firestorm of views and comments throughout the football fraternity.

The suspension of the players was confirmed by an official release from the federation to its membership on June 19. The reprimanded players are: Daniel Wilson, Pernell Schultz, Colin Nelson, Nicholas MacArthur, Jermaine Junior, Gregory Richardson, Clive Nobrega, Jermaine Beckles, Eusi Phillips, Jamal Pedro, Hubert Pedro, Randolph Wagner, and Darren Niles. The penalised official is Travis Bess.

The release which was signed by General Secretary Ian Alves stated, “I write on behalf of the President and Executive Committee of the Guyana Football Federation. GFF Memo dated June 16, 2022, on the subject at caption refers [Non-Participation in Unsanctioned Tournaments]. It was reported to the GFF that Sports Management Inc. proceeded with the futsal tournament on Saturday, June 18th, 2022, notwithstanding receipt of correspondence from the GFF advising that certain requirements were necessary before the conduct of the tournament could have been sanctioned or approved; an action which was a clear violation of the established protocol for conducting privately organized tournaments and a flagrant disregard for the federation.”

“Additionally, it was also reported that National team players, ATC staff, and possibly other registered members of the GFF participated in the tournament. The Executive Committee is therefore now directing that the players and officials who participated in the tournament not be allowed to take any further part in the current Regional Associations (RA) Senior Men’s League, nor any other GFF-conducted tournaments until they appear before the GFF Disciplinary Committee (DC). Each member to whom this correspondence is addressed is required to immediately formally inform their respective relevant club (s)/player (s) of the provisional suspension of the players and officials until their appearance before the DC, and to ensure their non-participation in the GFF or RA tournaments until such time as the federation pronounces otherwise,” the release said.

The discussion as to whether GFF controls street football inclusive of the relevant teams is an ongoing issue. What needs to be determined is the breadth of their jurisdiction and whether it lies simply with constitutional clubs, affiliates and associations, which makes practical sense given the legal framework of such a concept.

FIFA controls association football. That is clear. It is even written in its name, and should be easy to comprehend, even for the most intellectually challenged among us… a cadre which unfortunately, seems to be expanding at an alarming rate locally.

Association football falls into three categories: Association Football (11v11 or the traditional format), Beach and Futsal. Street football doesn’t fall into any of the aforementioned categories as this version is viewed as a niche brand or gimmick version.

If the GFF were to control all football, the equivalent would be the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) controlling all forms of cricket, including softball, wind ball and tape ball. A leisurely drive past the National Culture Centre and D’Urban Park tarmacs on weekends, would afford one a view of tape-ball cricket in all its glory. These two venues are considered the Mecca of the format and as such, are a hive of constant competition.

Even the tarmac at the National Stadium in Providence has played host to this format. One wonders what would be the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport’s position on this possible encompassing control, and in addition, should the GCB sanction these teams for playing cricket without their official sanction?

Contrary to the narrative often peddled in the local footballing world, FIFA has never expressly stated in plain English that the GFF governs street football, only that they are the sole authority of association football.

It therefore begs the question; how can you govern what is not constituted? Could this be the reason why an attempt was made initially, and is still being sought, to turn the street teams into actual clubs? The GFF’s position seems bent on creating a precedent which doesn’t exist anywhere globally.

Forthrightly, the GFF seems to have a convenient disposition on street and community football. Years prior, street teams were seen as the proverbial deplorables of the format. Those teams were directly linked to the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ tournament, an event which was never embraced by the suits in Campbellville owing to its ghetto posture and street culture.

However, given the passage of time and the eventual commercial success of the format and popularity of the teams, as well as the subsequent smooth transition to the Futsal format, the aforementioned position and hostility of the federation seems to have conveniently softened.

This is evident in the federation’s partnering with the Kashif and Shanghai organisation to stage a year-end Futsal Championship with the same street and community teams. How convenient! Is it that clubs, especially the ones of an Elite League persuasion, are not profitable anymore?

It therefore would be quite reasonable to surmise that it is satisfactory, and in good standing, for national coaches and a sitting association president to stage Guinness ‘Greatest of the Street’ tournaments without any penalties or sanctions. How convenient once more! And does this leeway also apply to the players, who feature in this format, or is that only for a year-end special?

Similarly, why was the $5,000, being Guyanese dollars, weekly Sunday morning small goal (not beach) tournament on the seawalls not sanctioned? Was it because the organisers are affiliated to a certain group, an entity which has seen a sharp re-emergence in the football fraternity?

What about the Guyana Police Force Commissioner Cup one tournament, which was staged on May 22 at the National Park? Was that approved and had the requisite permits?

Similarly, was the Police C-Division football tournament staged at the Melanie Community ground approved and sanctioned?

What about the ongoing Mocha Village Cup? Is that approved by the GFF? What about the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Linden Zone staged in May? Did that require approval? If not, why weren’t the players sanctioned? Is it because of an improved relationship with the sponsors of the tournament, Banks DIH Limited?

Were any of the aforementioned tournaments approved, sanctioned with the requisite permits? If they were, then providing the supporting documentation should not be an issue. On the other hand, if they were not approved, then why weren’t they reprimanded, and the players and officials duly suspended and penalised?

Or is it simply because some of these events are not seen as commercial successes which can threaten the large game, the format which GFF rightly administers?

The GFF envisions and at times espouses the need for the discipline to be managed in a professional manner. This despite the game, for all intents, and purposes, being managed in seemingly amateurish fashion.

What about playing league football for months, with a prize money of GY$300,000 and in some instances, civilians acting in the capacity of linesmen for matches - a reality which occurred in Georgetown. This is the indifference faced by players in our professional environment, which makes them gravitate to the street format.

Similarly, does this professional ambition equate to not paying the national players to date for the Trinidad and Tobago camp or any of the four Concacaf Nations League matches? The players were not even given a stipend to attend the local national team training held at the National Training Centre, Providence.

The boys were simply afforded bus fare, and assorted fruit, and on weekends, meals were also provided. Why does this sound familiar? I guess it is a rendition of the $300 and $400 bus fare days of the past.

The GFF boss recently met with President Irfaan Ali to discuss the government’s involvement in the development of the sport. Did he acknowledge any of the aforementioned to President Ali? I doubt whether.